Find Nonprofit and Small Business Grants

Grants to USA and territories rural public and private nonprofits representing a consortium of nonprofit or for-profit health care providers to plan and develop healthcare networks. Applicants are advised that required registrations may take several weeks to complete. The purpose of the Network Planning program is to assist in the development of an integrated health care network, specifically with network participants who do not have a history of formal collaborative efforts. Network Planning goals are: (i) to achieve efficiencies; (ii) to expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential health care services; and (iii) to strengthen the rural health care system as a whole.

A rural health network (also called consortium) is defined as an organizational arrangement among at least three (3) separately owned regional or local health care providers that come together to develop strategies for improving health services delivery systems in a community. Health care networks can be an effective strategy to help smaller rural health care providers and health care service organizations align resources, achieve economies of scale and efficiencies, collaboratively address challenges, and create impactful, innovative solutions as a group than as single providers.

For example, a critical access hospital, a community health center, and a public health department may collaborate to form a network around a shared purpose. Other examples of health care providers include: hospitals, public health agencies, home health providers, mental health centers, substance abuse service providers, rural health clinics, primary care providers, oral health providers, social service agencies, health profession schools, local school districts, emergency services providers, community and migrant health centers, federally qualified health centers, tribal health programs, churches, faith-based organizations, and civic organizations that are/will be providing health care (note: this list is not exhaustive).

The Network Planning Program offers rural health care providers the opportunity to better address community needs and respond to challenges such as supporting providers in the transition from volume-based to value-based care. The intent is for rural health networks to expand access to care, increase the use of health information technology, explore alternative health care delivery models, and continue to achieve quality health care across the continuum of care.

Applicants must describe planning activities that support at least one (1) of the legislative aims described below:

• Aim #1: Achieve efficiencies: The network will focus on identifying ways to achieve better system efficiencies and improve regional and/or local rural health care services through collaboration, access to additional services, and quality improvement.
• Aim #2: Expand access to, coordinate, and improve the quality of essential health care services: The network will focus on ways to build capacity and a network infrastructure that enables entities to coordinate care and increase access to care for rural communities both locally and regionally.
• Aim #3: Strengthen the rural health care system as a whole: Network members will focus on ways to enhance community and partner relationships to promote involvement and participation in network planning activities aiming to strengthen the regional health care system.

For review criteria and funding preferences, see pages 22-27 of the NOFO document in Attached Files below.